Elise had consumed too much alcohol with Nathan earlier, and she was clearly feeling unwell.

If she continued drinking, she would collapse soon enough.

"Are you okay?" William asked Elise, handing her a glass of water. "Drink slowly—it's better for your stomach."

"Thank you," Elise replied as she accepted the glass, speaking with emotional sincerity. "I love you, William."

As Elise felt her heart flutter, William continued, "You remember Samantha, don't you?"

"Yes. We all had dinner together," Elise responded.

"That's my best friend, without question," William told Elise. "But I must declare now that I have another best friend too."

Elise pressed her lips together, feeling somewhat helpless in that moment.

She genuinely sensed that William cared for her, and his sincerity once again left her in a difficult position.

Elise glanced at James, who was drinking with the others, and resolved to say what needed to be said tonight.

The atmosphere around the table grew lively after dinner, and Nathan insisted they go to a karaoke bar.

They descended to the sixteenth floor—the entertainment level—and reserved a VIP room for themselves.

The ornately decorated room wasn't large, and with just the six of them, it felt quite crowded.

Nathan, always the life of the party, became even more exhilarated after drinking.

Once he grabbed the microphone, he began singing and dancing without inhibition.

William, also buoyed by alcohol, tried to wrestle the microphone away from Nathan.

Suddenly, they were tussling and playing excitedly like children.

"I can take you home if you're bored," James suddenly told Elise, though he already carried the scent of alcohol.

"No." Elise shook her head.

Everyone was having fun, and James was the center of attention. How would they enjoy themselves if he left with her?

"Then let me know when you want to leave," James said, before adding quietly, "I want you to understand more about my life."

While Elise was taken aback, she watched as Ethan stood up and approached Jay.

They started drinking again, and it was clear Jay had reached his limit.

Even when Elise saw him head to the restroom, he would return looking pale each time.

As someone who frequently socialized with clients over drinks, Elise certainly recognized the signs of someone who kept vomiting and turned pale after excessive drinking.

"Elise, why don't you sing a song since you're not drinking?" William asked, having successfully taken the microphone from Nathan and settling into the seat beside Elise.

"I'm not very good..."

"You'll be bored since you're not drinking either." William seemed genuinely concerned.

"Alright, I'll choose a song. You go enjoy your drinks." Elise had to compromise, adding, "Don't drink too much. You'll regret it tomorrow."

"Okay, okay..." William replied.

But his actions spoke louder than words—he was already moving toward James's side.

As Elise walked over to the karaoke machine, William was leaning against James's shoulder.

James helped William straighten up, but didn't push him away despite showing slight annoyance.

Pursing her lips, Elise turned to select the song titled 'Third Wheel'.